It’s interesting to argue that what we know today as a “fandom” would have not existed without Sir Conan Doyle’s detective short stories from the late 19th century. In fact, the stories were so immensely popular that in 1964 they held the the second place for the highest sales worldwide after the Bible. The widespread popularity can be assigned to no other than the characters of the obsessive Sherlock Holmes himself and his trusted companion Dr. John Watson.

Updated January 9th, 2023: If you are here for best actors who played Sherlock Holmes, you’ll be happy to know that we’ve updated this article with new entries.

Interest — indeed, investment — in the dynamic duo by the film industry throughout the years has been unprecedented. A wide range of people, from directors Guy Ritchie to Paul McGuigan, has taken a different approach to the methodical detective and his story. All of them had a different actor in mind to portray the weirdly unique detective and his habits. Take a look at these seven actors who have done the best job.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

10 Yuko Takeuchi in Miss Sherlock (2018)

     HBO

From Jeremy Brett, the quintessential Holmes, to Benedict Cumberbatch, the 21st century’s much-loved detective, over 75 actors have played Sherlock Holmes in films and on TV. Of course, we have many unexpected takes on the classic detective. A female-led Japanese adaptation of Sir Conan Doyle’s stories is one of them.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

With Yuko Takeuchi in the lead role, Miss Sherlock follows a brilliant detective Sara ‘Sherlock’ Shelly Futaba, solving mysteries with her best friend, Dr. Wato Tachibana (played by a Japanese actress Shihori Kanjiya), in modern-day Tokyo. Miss Sherlock is the first major series to cast a woman to play Sherlock Holmes, it is worth a watch for any fan of detective stories.

9 Vasily Livanov in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson (1979 -1986)

     Lenfilm

Vasily Livanov is an actor who played an elegant and British-looking version of the classic detective in a series of Soviet television films, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. For his quite faithful to the original stories performance and service to the theatre and performing arts, Livanov received Honorary Membership of the Order of the British Empire. Also, the actor’s wax statue is displayed in London’s Sherlock Holmes Museum, which is situated on Baker Street, bearing the number 221B.

8 Ian McKellen in Mr. Holmes (2015)

     Miramax Films

Bill Condon’s British-American mystery film Mr. Holmes imagines the world’s greatest detective in his autumn years. Sir Ian McKellen, a living legend in Hollywood, steps into the role of 93-year-old Holmes, who struggles to remember the details of his life and studies his last case – himself. McKellen brought so much to his characters and delivered a gentle, moving, and truly human take on the classic character.

7 Jonny Lee Miller in Elementary (2012-2019)

     CBS Television Distribution

In 2012, CBS came out with Elementary, a modern adaptation of the Sherlock Holmes stories, starring Jonny Lee Miller as Holmes and Lucy Liu as Dr Joan Watson. Instead of the usual British environment, the story is set in New York City where Holmes helps the Police Department solve crimes. Before its release and during the first season, the series received criticism for premiering close to the BBC’s Sherlock series. It didn’t take long until the audience fell in love with Miller and Liu’s beautifully written friendship.

Though the show itself is a bit weak, Miller shines in his title role. His portrayal adds so much realness to the character’s personality and the heavily implied autistic tendencies are performed outstandingly by Miller. From refusing to let anyone close in season 1 to promising he wouldn’t leave Joan in the end no matter what, his character experiences a well-earned development.

6 Henry Cavill in Enola Holmes (2020)

     Netflix

The great Henry Cavill has quietly worked through multiple iconic performances, from DC’s Superman to Napoleon Solo to the unique portrayal of Sherlock Holmes in Netflix’s Enola Holmes (2020). Although the Netflix movie adapted the first book of the same name by Nancy Spinger and focuses primarily on Sherlock’s younger sister Enola (Millie Bobby Brown), Cavill nevertheless found room to show off his brilliant acting skills. The different take on Holmes’ character angered The Conan Doyle Estate, who decided to sue Netflix for violating copyrights, since Sherlock was depicted as having emotions.

Many find the unique take on the character refreshing as it shows that a higher intelligence doesn’t necessarily mean you have the right to be rude to others. That said, don’t get it twisted: Cavill’s character is still sharp as ever with his deductions, but with a nicer approach to his surroundings.

5 Basil Rathbone in The Hound of Baskervilles (1939) & Others

     20th Century Fox

English actor Basil Rathbone notably took on the iconic role of the savvy sleuth in 1939’s The Hound of the Baskervilles, marking his first of 14 films portraying the beloved Arthur Conan Doyle character. The gothic mystery is the first time a Sherlock Holmes big-screen adaptation was set in the Victorian era (like in Doyle’s novels) and also featured the detective in his distinct uniform. With his dashing charisma and bold brilliance, Rathbone truly made the role his own and became synonymous as the ultimate Holmes, setting the precedent for future portrayals.

The performer would also collaborate with his co-star Nigel Bruce (appearing as Dr. John Watson) for the popular and long-running radio series The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, doing so from 1939 to 1946, which coincided with the cinematic pictures. Rathbone left his mark as Holmes, and his pairing with Bruce has been touted by historian Jim Harmon as “near perfect casting.”

4 Robert Downey Jr. in Sherlock Holmes (2009) & Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011)

     Warner Bros. Pictures

Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law star alongside each other as Holmes and Dr. Watson in Guy Ritchie’s 2009 period mystery film Sherlock Holmes, in which they fight off an immense threat that endangers the whole of England. With the excellent guidance from Ritchie, Downey used his wit, which we so often saw in the MCU, to give his own personalized sparkle to the famous character. Many have argued that Downey’s depiction of Sherlock is quite extroverted because of the actor’s inseparable charisma.

However, there’s no doubt Holmes is still closed-in on himself and only truly confides in Watson. The movie was followed by Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows in 2011, and fans are also impatiently waiting for his third Sherlock installment. Downey earned himself a Golden Globe Award for the Best Actor in a Comedy/Musical for this role.

3 Peter Cushing in The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959) & Others

     United Artists 

The late Peter Cushing was an icon of Hammer horror films, so he naturally didn’t shy away from an offer to play the character of Sherlock Holmes in a Hammer setting. He has played the eccentric detective three times: in his phenomenal movie The Hound of The Baskervilles (1959), in the 1968 TV series Sherlock Holmes and in another 1984 TV series The Masks of Death.

As many other BBC shows, some of the episodes with his unforgettable performance were lost until uncovered again in 2020. For many, Cushing represents a portrayal of Holmes with the needed classical ambiance. What’s additionally significant is that The Hound of The Baskervilles was the first Sherlock Holmes movie in color.

2 Benedict Cumberbatch in BBC’s Sherlock (2010-2017)

     BBC One

The BBC TV series Sherlock, appearing intermittently from 2010 to 2017, starred Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock and Martin Freeman as Dr Watson, and is probably the most mainstream of all the adaptations. It’s been praised for perfectly setting the tone for a modern take on the detective’s life with its writing, acting and directing. Sherlock’s popularity can be surely traced back to the chemistry between Cumberbatch and Freeman, which has created a huge fandom for the duo’s relationship.

Of course, there’s no denying that Cumberbatch’s acting has depicted Holmes’ neurodivergence, mixed with intellectual confidence and emotional vulnerability, as outstandingly as ever. The actor was nominated for and has won numerous awards, including the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in A Miniseries or a Movie in 2014.

1 Jeremy Brett in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1984)

     Granada Television 

The 1984 TV series The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is accepted by many as the definitive version of Sherlock Holmes. Jeremy Brett (Holmes) stars alongside David Burke (Dr Watson) across 42 different short stories of Sir Conan Doyle. Brett, as a bisexual man, inarguably understood the underlying, emotionally complex queerness of Sherlock Holmes’ character like no other. Scenes like when he destroyed a crime scene to prove how smart he was perfectly depicted the famed character’s boldness and occasional ethical ambiguity.